Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Royals vs. Nats
The Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday they will play an exhibition game March 29 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Royals’ Class AA minor-league affiliate.
The Kansas City Royals are coming to town.
The Major League Baseball club announced Wednesday it would play an exhibition game March 29 at Arvest Ballpark against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Royals’ Double-A affiliate. It will be the first time the Royals have played in Springdale in the Naturals’ 13- year history.
“There’s still a lot of questions, but we are excited to at least have this set,” Naturals general manager Justin Cole said.
It would be the first Naturals baseball played at Arvest Ballpark since the end of the 2019 season after last season was wiped out by the covid-19 pandemic.
Cole said the game has been in the works for some time. It’s just been a case of having many different parts come together.
“It’s been a long time coming, and I don’t mean that in a negative way,” Cole said. “We have a great relationship with Kansas City, and it’s been a discussion point for a long time. Kansas City has said ‘We’re gonna get you an exhibition game.’
“But there are so many things like when does spring training break vs. when does our season start or what the big league schedule is. We need the chips to fall in the right places.”
He pointed out the Royals were supposed to play an exhibition in Omaha in 2018, but it got rained out.
“But it’s planned and it’s on the calendar and it’s a very, very exciting thing for us,” Cole said. “I’m sure there are bigger things
like winning a championship on your home field or our opening day here, but to have big-league players actually come here to play a game is huge.”
The homegrown nature of the Royals roster also makes it special since many of the members of the Major League club made at least a brief stop in Northwest Arkansas on their way to the Major Leagues.
“Hunter Dozier, Danny Duffy, Whit Merrifield, Brady Singer and it goes on and on,” Cole said. “To
see them come back as more fully formed ballplayers they have become will be special.”
Tickets for the game will be available for purchase by 2021 season ticket holders only some time this week, Cole said. But considering today’s conditions with covid-19 he’s taking a deliberate approach.
“We’re approaching this with eyes wide open,” Cole said. “We all hope things will get better as fall, winter and spring comes. There’s
a reason we’re not putting full tickets on sale yet. Our plan is to play March 29 but over the next few weeks and months we’ll work our way through the process and hopefully as many people as possible can come see this extra special event we’re getting to host.”
The clubs announced a twoyear extension to their partnership agreement in January 2020. That will keep the Naturals as the Royals’ affiliate through the 2022 season.